KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee played Saturday like a team looking ahead to its toughest stretch of the 2016 season.

The Vols struggled — again — but did what they needed to do — again — in beating Ohio 28-19 at Neyland Stadium.

They’re 3-0 heading into the stretch of playing Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama.

It’s the first time Tennessee has started 3-0 since 2004 — which also is the last time it defeated Florida.

What I liked:

  • Getting Alvin Kamara involved in the running game on the first play of the game. Kamara started the game with a 35-yard run. Also on the opening drive, Tennessee went to Josh Malone for a touchdown. It’s crucial to have Malone in the passing game in the upcoming four-game SEC stretch. Josh Dobbs hooked up with Malone again on a 20-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
  • Getting Jason Croom involved in the offense once again was big. Dobbs connected with 6-5, 246-pound target on a 27-yard route. Croom added two more catches.
  • A bend but don’t break approach from the Tennessee defense helped the Vols stay in the game. After giving up a 42-yard pass play, Tennessee buckled down inside the red zone and held Ohio to a 30-yard field goal. Bob Shoop’s defense has shown signs of bending, but not breaking after allowing the opposition into or near the red zone through three games. The Vols forced four field goals.
  • Dobbs missed two long passes that would have resulted in touchdowns, but he was important in the run game. His 13-yard TD run pushed Tennessee’s lead to 21-12..

What I didn’t like:

  • Injuries. The Tennessee defense lost numerous players Saturday, including Cam Sutton and Jalen Reeves-Maybin.
  • Todd Kelly Jr. with a face mask penalty on an early punt return in the first quarter. The penalty gave Ohio the ball back near mid-field and resulted in a 13-play 5:37 drive, scoring on a 38-yard field goal. Tennessee cannot have special teams miscues in the upcoming games.
  • Micah Abernathy fumbled on a first quarter kick return, luckily for Tennessee, the Vols recovered the fumble and maintained possession. The Vols fumbled four times but recovered each.
  • Dobbs lost 10 yards on a sack that knocked Tennessee back for a 55-yard field goal attempt. Aaron Medley missed badly.
  • Dobbs badly overthrew two receivers on deep balls. Had he connected, those would have been walk-in touchdowns. Those misses helped keep the game close.
  • Giving up the big-play in a broken assignment in the second quarter. Ohio went deep and found a wide-open Sebastian Smith for 42 yards.
  • When Ohio made it a 21-19 game, only trailing two points with one-minute remaining until the fourth quarter, Evan Berry had a kick return to mid-field, but Tennessee negated the good field position by an unnecessary block in he back penalty.

Who’s the man: Ultimately, Dobbs. He took control with his legs in the second half and threw for more than 200 yards for the first time this season.

Up next: Tennessee (3-0) hosts Florida, trying to end its 11-game losing streak to the Gators.